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AFA NEWSROOM V11 NO. 17, September 1, 2016

lottery dies, lawmakers look to BP money for help

Remember the lottery being promoted by Gov. Robert Bentley as a panacea for the state's General Fund Budget woes? Well, it was killed by the Alabama Senate which passed it in the first place.

Gov. Bentley's lottery bill died when a bipartisan group of Republicans and Democrats voted against accepting changes that the Alabama House had made to the bill in the 2016 special session called by Bentley on August 15.

Chief among the reasons the bill was rejected was House-added language that narrowly defined the lottery in order to prevent gambling expansion at other existing gambling facilities in Alabama. Only money from the BP oil spill is left on the table as a way to provide additional funds for Medicaid, the main reason for the special session being called.

Stay tuned. Lawmakers are off this week and will return September 6th for the final three working days of the session.

Less than two weeks left before 2016 Afa MEETING

Don't forget that the 2016 AFA Annual Meeting is less than two weeks off. So SIGN UP NOW!

You don't want to miss the Sunburn Classic (our Annual Golf Tournament) and Fun in the Sun Beach Bash, or the newly added afternoon excursion to the Port of Mobile. No matter what your taste, there is something you will like at the 2016 AFA Annual Meeting, September 11-13, at Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, Ala. To register, view the agenda, and Continuing Ed credits, click here.

A Reminder: Initial PLM Training to be offered

Initial Professional Logging Manager (PLM) Training is being offered September 22 and 29 at the Solon Dixon Education Center in Andalusia. Registration is available online at Initial PLM Training - Andalusia. Or, Click here to download registration document.

cooper t. Smith helping LA Flood victims

Proving that good companies make good corporate citizens, Cooper/T.Smith has sent several truckloads of supplies to Louisiana recently for flood relief. Some of the company's own employees were hard hit by the flooding.

Our thanks to the company for helping people cast into dire circumstances by the recent flooding!

lumber value declines in north america

The value of logs and lumber exported from North America to Asia fell by 33% from 2013 to 2015, with the 2016 export value on pace to reach the lowest level since 2010, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. The major wood products exports from the US Northwest (logs) and British Columbia (lumber) to Asia have fallen in value by 18% during the first half of 2016, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. The biggest decline has been of softwood lumber from BC to China, which is on pace to be down by 50% in 2016 as compared to 2014. Read more...

natural resources workshop Set

Improving Your Property’s Natural Resources workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 in Jasper, AL. The tentative topics are as follows: Deer Management Plans, Wild Hog Control, Quail Habitat Mgmt., Logging BMP’s and Issues, Threatened and Endangered Species, Planting Short Leaf Pine and Forest Herbicides. CFE units and PLM hours will be available for attending the workshop. Click here for flyer.

A NEW LOG A LOAD FISHING TOURNEY set FOR SOUTH ALABAMA FISHERMEN

For you guys down in South Alabama who like to fish, there will be a new Log a Load for Kids fishing tournament with cash prizes on September 10th at Lake Jackson in Florala, Ala.

For more information contact Mike Birge at 334-858-3853 or Brandon Adams at 850-287-3805.

alabama drought conditions ease

For the first time all summer, more than half of Alabama is experiencing no drought or abnormally dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

The weekly update, released Thursday (Aug. 25), said that 50.74 percent of the state was seeing normal conditions. That's the highest percentage since May 31. For comparison, the number dipped as low as 32.44 percent on Aug. 2 for the percentage area of Alabama seeing no drought conditions.

The northern two-thirds of the state continue to bear the brunt of the dry conditions, particularly east Alabama along the Georgia border. View map

don't forget annual sawmill days in November

Once again, Stockton celebrates its history and heritage as a sawmill town this year. You can see draft animals pulling logs; a professional lumberjack show with log-rolling, pole-climbing, crosscut sawing, & boom-walking and a whole slew of other interesting activities. Click here for the latest.

us to lead world in shale oil production by 2040

When it comes to the future of oil production, consumers worldwide have a reason to be optimistic. Especially consumers in the U.S. That’s because last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released data showing the world’s tight oil production could more than double by 2040, increasing from 4.98 million to 10.36 million barrels per day. Tight oil, or shale oil, is a light crude oil found in shale deposits. Unlocking this oil increases supplies and helps sustain low gasoline prices. Read more...

prescribed fire training sessions set for 2016

Alabama Certified Prescribed Burn Manager certification courses and re-certification workshops have completed for July and August, still open for September. Read more...

plm opportunities in alabama

Now is a GREAT time to earn PLM continuing education hours. Forestry field days and indoor course opportunities are listed on the AFA Calendar.
Get more info at: http://www.alaforestry.org/events/event_list.asp. New opportunities are constantly being added so check back often.

westervelt Warrior District event update

Westervelt has announced a sponsor change from their original flyer for their annual sporting clay and skeet shoot.

The 13th Annual Charlie Hughen Memorial Sporting Clay & Skeet Shoot, which will be held Friday, November 4 at the Westervelt Lodge in Aliceville, will feature Thompson Tractor as the lunch sponsor.

We now have two books that you can use to learn more about forestland management and the history of the forest products industry in Alabama. These books make outstanding gifts for birthdays, Christmas and any other gift-giving purpose. The book on the left, Green Gold: Alabama's Forests and Forest Industries, provides the first comprehensive history of forestry in Alabama, from when the Indians cleared forests for agriculture to the modern era.

The book on the right, Managing Forests on Private Lands in Alabama and the Southeast, is probably the best book every produced on managing forests for timber production and for preserving water and wildlife resources.

If you are interested in owning either or both of these books, contact Liz Chambers at (334) 481-2135 or lchambers@alaforestry.org.